HubSpot vs Smartlead:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Smartlead had more branded searches than HubSpot among cold email and sales engagement platforms worldwide. Smartlead had about 45,900 branded searches, while HubSpot had 1,900. Smartlead made up 9.4% of all cold email and sales engagement platform searches we track, and HubSpot accounted for 0.39%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about cold email and sales engagement platforms, HubSpot appeared in all five answers and Smartlead in none.
Who do people search for more?
Smartlead, about 24 searches for every 1 for HubSpot
Who does AI mention more?
HubSpot, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
HubSpot, the only one of the two named
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Top cold email and sales engagement platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, HubSpot appeared in all five answers. Smartlead did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
See every answer about cold email and sales engagement platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which sales engagement platform should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best sales engagement platforms?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best sales engagement platform for an outbound sales team?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“sales engagement platforms”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“sales engagement software”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is HubSpot or Smartlead more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for HubSpot and Smartlead by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine cold email and sales engagement platforms we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Smartlead, HubSpot. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Smartlead | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 7.7% | 0.59% |
| Dec 2025 | 8.2% | 0.74% |
| Jan 2026 | 8% | 0.73% |
| Feb 2026 | 7.9% | 0.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 7.3% | 0.55% |
| Apr 2026 | 6.5% | 0.49% |
| May 2026 | 7.6% | 0.48% |
| Jun 2026 | 8.7% | 0.54% |
| Jul 2026 | 8.7% | 0.43% |
| Aug 2026 | 9.4% | 0.47% |
| Sep 2026 | 9.4% | 0.39% |
| Oct 2026 | — | — |
HubSpot sells other things too, so only its searches that name this product count here, like “hubspot sales hub”.
How has branded search for HubSpot and Smartlead changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Smartlead was ahead of HubSpot in every measured month of the 11 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending September 2026, HubSpot’s share of searches among cold email and sales engagement platforms worldwide moved from 0.59% to 0.39%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.4K to 1.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending September 2026, Smartlead’s share of searches among cold email and sales engagement platforms worldwide moved from 7.7% to 9.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 31.5K to 45.9K.
How did search popularity change for cold email and sales engagement platforms worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
How are HubSpot’s and Smartlead’s branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using HubSpot’s and Smartlead’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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